1/48 B-17 Group Build...ALL INVITED TO JOIN!

Hans von Hammer wrote:

...but making sure not to damage it to point that it would be unflyable...

We've all heard about their ability to get smacked up quite severely and still make it home... It's legendary. The photographic records defy imagination!

I think it's a DRE100 high-speed cutter... The bit's about a 3/16ths and an 1/8th inch shank...

 As far as a "go-to"? You betcha... That one and the sanding drums...  I use the cut-off wheel a lot as well...

Ok, workin' my Forts, so I thought I'd throw out a couple pics... I haven't decided on the paint scheme for the second one, Although I'm leaning very hard towards the CAF "Texas Raiders" B-17 (I've actually flown right seat in that one) or a Fortress MkIII from the RAF No. 214 (Special Duties) Sqn.  I may do it as US Navy PB1-W as well, not to mention that there's also a Clandestine Ops bird flown by the CIA in SE Asia that's kinda nice-lookin' painted all gloss black... Ah, well.. I'll decide later.

 This one's going on a dio, landed post-mission with a fair amount of flak damage... It'll be an OD over grey Fort from some as-yet-unknown Bomb Squadron, but I haven't ruled out the red-tailed 1st Air Division/1st Bomb Wing... Although if I do that, it'll rule out doing "Texas Raiders", since I don't want two red-tailed Forts... Might go with BMF "Sentimental Journey" then.. I dunno...

Anyway, here's some pics with some explainations...

I also stretched some sprue and painted it brass, then chopped it up and added it the floor of the radio room, and I have more to add to waist yet... Waist gunners were known to ankle deep in shell casings after the fighter attacks... There won't be that much in there though, since the gunners likely swept up most of them and their links, and threw them overboard...

I probably will add more damage to the Fort (especially the wings.  I need to knock out at least ONE engine, ya know) and some obvious casualties, but making sure not to damage it to point that it would be unflyable...

hi all.  looks like a nice place to discuss models, am happy to be here.  i recently found my stash of warbirds in the cellar, and have been building them steady for about two weeks.  some of my old stuff survived, some are in boxes, awaiting restoration, some will be melted down... :)

i'll jump in on the b-17 group build if there's room for another one or two in teh formation!

i've got the g model from about twenty years ago, that needs to be repaired in a major way.  i also have the memphis belle that's painted, but needs to be assembled.  i was thinking of sticking the insides of the g model in the belle as they are more detailed, and throwing the f models interior in the g. 

any tips for removing paint?  someone once told me they used oven cleaner to strip paint away, without harming the plastic?

B-17 Guy wrote:

Hey tiny......Let me first start out by saying that I am NOT a rivet counter by any means, BUT....I personally would be looking to change the BG markings if you are gonna go with something other than red on the tail. The colors on the tail designate what bomb wing then what bomb group the aircraft belongs to. Red tails like in that kit designate it as a 1st Bomb wing, either 91st, 381st or 398th BG aircraft. Use this as a guide. http://web.archive.org/web/20030715154304/armyairforces.com/tails.asp

I could also suggest just leaving off the red and painting those areas OD instead, I've 91st BG aircraft without the red and still have the BG marking on the tail.

Hey Tiny

What I do, is to paint the gear, using Testors M/M Aluminium, applied by brush.  After it dries, I put on the scrub wash, which is a mix of 50% Testors Acrylic Flat Black, 50% Water, and a few drops of dish soap.  I scrub it on a little on the heavy side and let it dry.  Then I use Q-Tips, and rub all that I can off, leaving whatever residue is left.  

The right way, which has been described already, and at length over on Swanny's website.  I just took what swanny has laid out and made it fit my style of building.  One MAJOR point.  Never use that mix over a flat surface.  Unless of course you dry brush ovr that.  You really SHOULD only use that mix over a gloss finish.  Any more questions, just drop a line.

Regards,

Freddie from LI

Hey tiny......Let me first start out by saying that I am NOT a rivet counter by any means, BUT....I personally would be looking to change the BG markings if you are gonna go with something other than red on the tail. The colors on the tail designate what bomb wing then what bomb group the aircraft belongs to. Red tails like in that kit designate it as a 1st Bomb wing, either 91st, 381st or 398th BG aircraft. Use this as a guide.

http://web.archive.org/web/20030715154304/armyairforces.com/tails.asp

Hans von Hammer wrote:

-Tiny- wrote: For my Fort, I'm gonna do an Olive top and Grey bottom...the kit calls for red on the tips of the wings and tail...I don't like it...Reminds me of christmas.  I don't care if it's not accurate, I'm thinking of replacing the red with either yellow for that 'SNAP' effect, or a dark tan or brown...who knows. What do you guys suggest? Yellow tails and tips were a 447th BG marking... A yellow tail, horizontal stabs, and wingtips would definately make it stand out... Both OD and NMF aircraft were assigned to the Group.

I'm pretty sure that is what is depicted on my box art. I'm building mine just like it's shown on there. I want a late war, plasterer of the Reich!

-Tiny- wrote:

For my Fort, I'm gonna do an Olive top and Grey bottom...the kit calls for red on the tips of the wings and tail...I don't like it...Reminds me of christmas.  I don't care if it's not accurate, I'm thinking of replacing the red with either yellow for that 'SNAP' effect, or a dark tan or brown...who knows. What do you guys suggest?

Yellow tails and tips were a 447th BG marking... A yellow tail, horizontal stabs, and wingtips would definately make it stand out... Both OD and NMF aircraft were assigned to the Group.

bspeed SCORES!

Flying Fort Central at your house!

GOSH DARN IT!!!

There I was, in Hobby Lobby.

In my hand was a bottle of Winsor Newton Flow-aid stuff.

In my other hand was my 40% coupon.

.

.

.

But I walked out with a Revell 1/48 B17G.  for about $17 :)

go figure. I mean after all I only have 4 kits partially buit needing to be finished.

-Tiny- wrote:

Freddie - I apreciate the pics of the landing gear...this is gonna be sick.  I've never done a wash before...I've bought the water based paint...I know I've got to wet it down to aboot 10/1...after i lather up the part with this stuff...what next?  Do I let it dry and than rub it off leaving the crevaces coated in paint?  Or do I remove the excess while it's still wet?  Tips please!!!

After your color is on (silver or steel) overcoat with gloss enamel. Do the "sludge" over gloss coated stuff only. Slap on the sludge. Don't let it foam! Work slowly. Let it dry. Wipe off with cotton swabs or swabs made of soft but strong paper towel. Don't be stingy with the swabs. As they get dirty, replace them...

My sludge is 3 equal parts of

acrylic paint : water : dish soap

Good call Trexx, she's gonna look sweet.  If I could do my B-29 over again, I'd use better paint for sure.  I used tremclad cause I was on a budget and it was 3 bucks...I'd use Tamiya the second time around.

For my Fort, I'm gonna do an Olive top and Grey bottom...the kit calls for red on the tips of the wings and tail...I don't like it...Reminds me of christmas.  I don't care if it's not accurate, I'm thinking of replacing the red with either yellow for that 'SNAP' effect, or a dark tan or brown...who knows.

What do you guys suggest?

Tonight... I'm lifting the lid on the ol' Monogram 1/48 beast.

All this activity has me chomping at the bit!

I'm feeling like a bare-natural-metal "G" like the box art...

Hans von Hammer wrote:

Made sense to me to do two... I've been doing the interiors, so I just finish what I'm doing on a particular part, then do it again on it's "twin" while I have the stuff out...

Exactly! That's how I did it, just made an assembly line out of it. I really want to build like this again, I enjoy it. I guess I like to work under pressure sometimes.

sf_plane_nut wrote:

you know what...i do have a 1/72 in the stash...guess i will have to get in on this action....did i see that 1/72 was invited?...i dont think i have one of those huge 1/48 beasts in me...what have i gotten myself into...hahahahahah...

Well I'll be I stumbled upon one in the stash myself this morning .... An oldie 

Hey....I'm not the only crazy one!!!!! Hans is doing 2!!!! And mine isnt confusing, I'm doing 2 G's, except that I'm converting one of those G's to an F by using parts from both the G and F.

Made sense to me to do two... I've been doing the interiors, so I just finish what I'm doing on a particular part, then do it again on it's "twin" while I have the stuff out...

Hans von Hammer wrote:

On Ebay you might find the 1/48th Pro Modeler B-17G (Monogram with PE, extra figures in flight gear, and a choice between the "stinger" tailguns and the Cheyenne tail) and the old release of the 1/48th Memphis Belle from Revell... The pro modeler 17 only had the cheyenne tail, the visible 17 has the option for either tail.  Hans von Hammer wrote: Everyone here doing 1/48th is doing one or other of the Revell/Monogram Forts... I think anyway... B-17 Guy can be confusing with his kitbashes/conversions...  I've just started a pair of B-17Gs, one's the  Revell/Monogram, one's the Pro Modeler... Hey....I'm not the only crazy one!!!!! Hans is doing 2!!!! And mine isnt confusing, I'm doing 2 G's, except that I'm converting one of those G's to an F by using parts from both the G and F. [qouteuser="Hans von Hammer"]Even though it's about 30 years old, the Revell (read: Monogram) B-17G is still a great kit and is still about as state-of-the-art as one will get in the foreseeable future... It's running close to 30.00 these days, but that's about as good a price as one will get unless you got a Hobby Lobby and their 40%-off coupon.

Tacan......this might be useful to ya, as well as everyone else, I've used it.

http://www.swannysmodels.com/B17G.html

The only 1/48th B-17s on the market RIGHT NOW that I'm aware of are the Revell (ex-Monogram) B-17G and Visible B-17G (same kit as the old Monogram, overall, but has a clear fuselage half and extra detail parts and figures to be viewed inside the bomber's fuselage.).  Revell's releasing (or re-releasing) a 1/48th B-17F soon, but it's down the road a bit longer.

On Ebay you might find the 1/48th Pro Modeler B-17G (Monogram with PE, extra figures in flight gear, and a choice between the "stinger" tailguns and the Cheyenne tail) and the old release of the 1/48th Memphis Belle from Revell...

Everyone here doing 1/48th is doing one or other of the Revell/Monogram Forts... I think anyway... B-17 Guy can be confusing with his kitbashes/conversions...  I've just started a pair of B-17Gs, one's the  Revell/Monogram, one's the Pro Modeler...

Even though it's about 30 years old, the Revell (read: Monogram) B-17G is still a great kit and is still about as state-of-the-art as one will get in the foreseeable future... It's running close to 30.00 these days, but that's about as good a price as one will get unless you got a Hobby Lobby and their 40%-off coupon. 

Hi there gents,

I am very interested in building a B-17. I built one long long ago... twas a 1/72 Hase kit, if I recall correctly.

I do not build anything other than 1/48 now... (being a picky sod)....

So my next question.. is which of the 1/48 kits on the market... are the best overall?? 

OH... and excellent work on the WIPs posted in the thread... very inspirational!!! I've always loved the B-17 for some reason...

dcaponeII wrote:

We're all saved!!!!!  The number of views had hit 666 when I tried to view and fix the problem.  Saved the whole thread from oblivion!!

  Thanks dcaponeII for keeping things running smoothly !

Freddie that is one Dusty Aircraft, It really did need to get out of the Hanger. The work you have done on the legs is Fantastic, my "F" model's look like a crooked blob of sprue basiclly .

Here is my progress for the day, got the Fuse sides joined and here is the bottom plug where the ball turrent was removed. Still needs some work, might even punch out another disk to graft over it with rivet holes

Just glued the windscreen down , the rest of the cockpit is just sitting there to help with alignment. 

The "Foggy" windows are from "Frisket Film" ! Been masking them off slowly. I started gluing the Fuse halves from the front and worked in sections to give the best alignment . A toothpick placed in the middle of the open seam gave a perfect gap for the glue brush